Saturday, December 13, 2014

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and , a special thanks to all who have took the time out of their busy lives to stop by my blog and give a read and enjoy the pictures and little stories about Ciejay and My life here in Wang Pho
I'm excited about the new year ahead and hope for lots of adventures and stuff to share with you as we find the time and money to do a little traveling around Thailand to places we haven't seen yet , but are on our list of "to see places" . I hope we get to check a lot of them off. As I have said many times in the past we are still Retired in Thailand and Loving It

God has been good to us this past year , He has kept us safe and ,has healed all our sickness , and there have been a few,But, Faith and the prayers of our friends and family, we've made it another year, and happy to report as we enter into  the  new year 2015 that we are in good health and enjoying all the Blessings of the Lord , and looking forward to a great year ahead.As I write my little blog post today I am reminded that the Word says in Ephesians 5:20 "giving thanks always for all things,



to God the Father and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ"

Next year will be Our 11th year in Thailand and I'm happy to report that" We're still Loving It."

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2014

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Ciejay and Malcolm, wish all our friends and family a very , very ,Happy Thanksgiving Day ,  remember to save me a wish bone, and remember the Bible say's "Be Ye Thankful.                             2014




                    We love you all

Monday, November 3, 2014

Little Know Fact about the railroad that runs thru our little village

A STORY OF INTEREST FOR THE TOURIST TO WANG PHO
RAILCAR # 2512

THE RAILCAR OF DEATH

OUR TRAIN STATION AT WHANG PHO



There has been lots of BOOKS and articles written about the famous Bridge on the River Kwai and the Thai-Burma Railway built by POWs and a lot of Asian slave labor , during the Japanese occupation of Thailand during WW II , or as the books and the tourist call it the Death Railroad .After the war the Thai government assigned the officials of the Thai railways to explore the possibility of using what was left of the Thai -Burma railroad for use during peacetime as a means of transportation for the Thai people. One of the little know facts is that it was a death railroad in war and in peace, as some of the inspectors were killed in a tragic accident while inspecting one of the viaducts, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves . I hope you remember these folks too ,when you think of the railroad or when you take a ride or visit the site. Just a little know fact your information . Malcolm

Thursday, October 23, 2014

The Coconut Factory












I have already posted pictures of the trip to the coconut farm , but I forgot to post a few pictures I was able to shoot at the coconut factory . This place was amazing , I never knew they did soooo much with the coconut , the tree , the leaves , the husk , the fiber , the meat , the juice , they even make charcoal and mulch for gardens out of the husk , and ship to other countries , and when the trees get old they saw them into lumber to build homes , and as you can see in the pictures , the ladies working there bring their babies with them .A must visit if you ever get a chance







Saturday, October 18, 2014

A Visit to a coconut farm

My best friend B-Bie , manager of the Big Sheep Resort here in Wang Pho , was raised in Prachuap Khiri Khan, he still has a Mom and brother and lots of family that live there now . We were talking one day and he was telling me about growing up in Prachuap and that his family owned a coconut farm and that his childhood was spent on a coconut farm , well this was all very interesting to me as I had no idea about raising coconuts for commercial use.And all the many uses of the coconut and the tree and all the bi-products made from it. I guess I was asking to many questions , and B-Bie said ," next week we go to Prachuap and see my Mom and the coconut farm and my friend coconut factory and then you see for yourself and don't have to ask , and you can stay at my friends little resort on the beach and we will drive around the country and you can take lots of pictures."Well I could hardly wait till time to go , it is a seven hour drive from Wang Pho and a very beautiful drive to say the least . Was a easy drive, as far as directions go , from Wang Pho 321 to right before Bangkok turn right on Hwy. # 4 and away you go .We left home about six o'clock a.m.and,we got there just in time for lunch . We checked in at the resort and headed straight for a little beach side restaurant , that was one of B-Bie's favorite , and as it turned out will be #one on my list on our next visit also.From there we went to the country side for a beautiful drive and then , a long trip down a dirt road to the family coconut farm , you will not believe it, but it was harvest time on the farm and they were cutting the coconuts from the tall and I mean tall trees and bringing them to the house to be sorted and counted and ready for the factory truck to pick up the next day. I thought that you got coconuts once a year like any other crop , but nooooo they can harvest them every month , and lots of them too,as you will see in the pictures . After the harvest and show and tell and join in the work time ,it was time to eat and our little resort had a great cook ,and we ate our dinner right on the beach again. Now the great thing about this beach is there was noone else and no other resorts around for miles we, were just like on a Island all to our selves . What a great and relaxing evening we had . At night the squid boats were out in force, right in front of the resort a couple of hundred yards,. out , but we could see their lights and watch them pulling in their nets. it was breath taking to say the least , next morning breakfast at another restaurant right on the beach again with very few folks around, and a great view as you will see in the pictures. and then off to the coconut factory, but not before a great foot massage , to watch the process from start to finish .I could almost write a mini BOOK about the experience there , but will just show pictures and let you see it in action.I would like to say that it was a high light of times in my travels around Thailand.That afternoon ,after it cooled down we were off to a Thai Temple that was located way up on a mountain top , were you could really as they say "see for miles ". so much to tell , but again will let the pictures speak for themselves . Then before going back to the resort B-Bie suggested we go to his favorite spot , known by few , and have a cup of coffee before dinner .I tried to buy a small little house that was empty , just so I could live there part of the year and have it for friends, the rest of the time . But they have big plans for the area if the economy picks up again , and said no , I hope somehow it never happens for this beautiful place as it would be a shame to spoil it at all , even tho they have started a little already . Then off to the resort for dinner and , this evening a swim in the ocean for me and feet wet for Ciejay, a good nites sleep and then breakfast and a nice drive back home . Needless to say this place called Prachuap is a beautiful place to visit and on our list for a longer stay this summer . Thanks to my friend B-Bie for this wonder ful experience and for being a great tour guide. Malcolm










Thursday, October 9, 2014

Mango, Good reasons for eating ---Love it

10 Unbelievable Reasons to Eat Mango
Ads by Plus-HD-V1.8c×Did you know that the tree Buddha meditated under was a mango tree? He reached enlightenment, and the fruits of the tree that provided his cool shade can almost send you to nirvana too. Not only is mango delicious and refreshingly-filling, it also carries a lot of goodness inside its flesh, and can take you on a path of health and wellness. It truly is food fit for the gods.
So, let’s take a look at why mangos are such a smart and healthy choice for your diet.

1. It Helps Fight Cancer

Many foods are believed to have anti-cancer properties, but rigorous research is needed to support these claims. Texas A&M AgriLife Research is a big research facility that studies the impact of food on health, looks at the biological underpinnings of cancer, and develops new cancer treatments. Mango was one of their recent researchprojects. Doctor Talcott, a nutrition scientist at AgriLife Research, led a study that showed that mango’s polyphenols (antioxidant-like plant chemicals) could have cancer-fighting properties.  Adding mango to your diet can be particularly beneficial for breast and colon cancerprevention and further studies are in progress.
Further reading: There are other foods that protect against cancer development and you can read about them in my post:Discover the Top 14 Foods That Protect Against Cancer Development.

2. It Preserves Sharp Vision

According to the Institute for Natural Healing, eating three servings of mango per day (1 serving = 1/2 – 3/4 cup) can reduce your chances of developing age-related MACULAR DEGENERATION by more than a half. Mangos contain a lot of vitamin A, which is very important for eye health, and they’re also rich in zeaxanthin and lutein – two potent antioxidants. They protect the eyes from high-energy light waves, such as some ultraviolet rays in sunlight, which can be harmful to the eyes.
Further reading: I’ve already shared with my readers my 9 secrets for preventing eyesight problems and improving your vision naturally.

3. It Supports Heart Health

Mango is high in antioxidants and fiber, which are both crucial for the protection of the heart muscle. A diet high in fiber can significantly reduce your chances of developing heart disease. A cup of sliced mango can contribute three grams to the daily recommended amount of fiber, which is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. According to research, for every 7 grams of fiber you eat, the risk of heart diseases goes down by 9 percent.
Further reading: Get more information on how to keep your heart in top working condition in my post: The Best Foods and Herbs for Healthy Heart, Including Heart Tonic Recipe.

4. It Keeps the Skin Young

Vitamin C in mango supports collagen production, which makes your skin tighter and firmer. Since mango’s zeaxanthin and lutein protect from the harmful effects of UV light, eating mangos can reduce skin damage from the sun. Mango can also unclog skin pores and is used as a face mask. Now I understand why that girl was wearing slices of mango on her face, I hear some of you exclaim.
Further reading: You can get more information on how to use essential oils for healthy skin in my e-book Magical Aromatherapy and also in this post. Also read my article about the top 8 vitamins and nutrients that are essential for healthy skin.

5. It Boosts Brainpower

Mango contains vitamin B6, which is the vitamin that stimulates the brain and preserves your cognitive function. Some studies have shown that lower levels of vitamin B6 are connected with decreased cognitive abilities in older people. Vitamin B6 has been praised as a dietary supplement for cognitive health. It can improve memory and concentration, and even ward off dementia. So instead of taking the substitute, why not going directly to the source and enjoying the tasty mango.
Further reading: Get more information on how to naturally improve your brain function and about foods to improve your memory.

6. It is a good source of Fiber

Eating a diet rich in fiber is important for many aspects of our health. You require fiber for healthy digestion, and when you’re bowels are happy, the quality of life always goes up. Fibers also help prevent heart disease and reduce the chances of developing type 2 diabetes and diverticular disease or diverticulitis, which affects the colon.
Further reading:  Ginger as well as some herbs are also very helpful in improving your digestion and you can get more information about this subject in my e-book The Herbal Remedies Guide as well as in this post.

7. It is High in Key Vitamins and Minerals

Mango contains a plethora of essential vitamins and minerals. When you eat this refreshing fruit, you’re treating your body to a dose of vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K. The latter supports bone health. And then there is the conglomerate of B vitamins. B1, B2, B5, B6, niacin and folic acid can all be found in mango. Folic acid is particularly important for pregnant women, as it reduces the possibility of birth defects. One cup of fresh mango supplies 71 mcg of folic acids, and the daily intake should be around 400 mcg. But that’s not all. Mango is also a great source of minerals, including potassium, magnesium and calcium. This really is the king of fruits and such a great source of nutrients!

8. It Aids Your Digestive System

One thing that helps your digestive system is the abundance of fiber in mango. And the other thing is the presence of a digestive enzyme that helps break down proteins. The enzymes are present in ripe mangoes, so check the fruit for ripeness before you eat it. If you can get hold of mango flowers, they are also used to cure diarrhea, chronic dysentery and urinary tract infections.
Further reading: learn how to make a natural digestive enzyme detox smoothie.

9. It Boosts Your Immune System

By supporting the digestive system, mango is also good for your immunity. Not many people know that, but thegastrointestinal system is actually a part of the immune system and 80 percent of immune defense lies there. Your general health is intertwined with your gut health. Mango also contains a lot of vitamin C, which additionally boosts your immunity.

10. It Help With Your Dieting Efforts

Mango can be so deliciously sweet, yet is very low in calories. One cup of mango comes to only 100 calories. According to the University of Oklahoma, a diet which involves eating mangoes, regulates the appetite, and reduces the levels of glucose and cholesterol in the blood. Isn’t it great when dieting can be supported by tasty food?
Further reading: read about my 9 secrets of losing weight without diet and also about spices and herbs that will help you lose weight. You can also find more information about healthy eating and nutrition in my e-book Effortless Healthy Eating which is part of the Natural Health Revolution Program. This program will help you to achieve your health, nutrition and weight loss goals.
So start eating mango today! It can be enjoyed in many different ways – as a healthy snack, a part of a delicious smoothie, or mixed into salsas and chutneys. For extra kick, enjoy it with a little bit of chili powder or lime juice. Personally, I just like 

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Eating Out --what a treat here in the Land of Smiles and Great Food







When we( Ciejay and Me) lived in America , believe it or not I use to hate to hear those words , "LETS GO OUT FOR DINNER TONITE "for different reasons than you might think , I'll list just a few of these reasons , you might be able to relate to a few of them.
1. Where to go ? everyone had their favorite place and it takes a lot of giving in to decide just where you want to go , and if the others don't really want to eat there too then, it's just food and not fun.
2. Fast food , need I say more ?
3. Worked hard all day and sick of people and then to drive all over town to get there just not fun. Would be happy with soup and sandwich especially if it was a SPAM sandwich and Campbells tomato soup.
4. Most places, other than fast food , would break the bank and cost a arm and a leg.

But, all that has changed since we've moved here to Thailand , I have never had a problem with eating out here in the LOS , as each time there are soooo many restaurants( one or two plastic tables and a few plastic blue or red chairs and whalla you've got a restaurant any where you want, on the side of the road , on a side walk in town or in your own front yard) and almost all are a food lovers delight with aroma's and spices and tastes like your taste buds have never experienced in your life,and there are soooo many of them that you never have to go far and you never have to eat at the same place twice unless you want to.
The reason behind this post , I have been waiting all rainy season for it to stop because my favorite place to eat on top of the Mt. road is such a place, a little roadside restaurant that can not stay open during the rainy season as the kitchen is outside and the roof is made of bamboo and tin sheets ,and sooo old that when it rains it pours in like a waterfall ha ha , when I heard it was open , Ciejay and Me could'nt wait for dinner we, went for lunch and when I pulled up on front I could see the big smile on her( the owners) face and a great big Sawa Dee Kae was waiting for us once inside , the cook , chef and bottle washer, all in one, came to take our order and I can truthfully say that I was not disappointed at all and it's a place I would go back to often and take guest and never worry if the meals going to be just right.

I love all the little places to eat out in our area and now you know another reason why ,I'm RETIRED IN THAILAND AND LOVING IT. If you're ever over our way we'll give one of our roadside , 5 stars a try and it'll be my treat. Malcolm

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Swimming with the Elephants

I have a friend ,B-Bie , whose friend is the director of the Kanchanaburi Conservation Elephant Camp, and we were invited to spend the day interacting with the elephants ,Molee , Tom Moon , and Tom Boon. We were to walk in the fields and jungle , cut corn, and feed them , and take them to the river for their daily bath. We did all this and what a great day we had , never in my life have I had such a experience. So , to make a long story short, I was standing on the bank of the river watching folks and the trainers giving the elephants a bath , when all of a sudden, I don't know what come over me , I pull off my cloths and jumped in the river and swim out to Molee and she let me on her back ,and then and there I was swimming with the elephants, what a RUSH. If ever you get a chance to do the same " do it " I felt just like Tarzan of the movies, and comic BOOKS of my childhood . Have you ever done a something so all of a sudden? I hope so . Life is full of surprises.
 This was a day to remember


 Malcolm        
                                           Mollee and Me

Sunday, August 31, 2014

And oldie but a goodie --about our plans to move to Thailand

CIEJAY WITH APPLES, PLUMS AND PEACHES
AND THE ALL TIME BEST SELLER TOMATOES

EVERYONE LOVES STRAWBERRIES TO EAT AND MAKE JAM


MY FRIEND MIKE BRINGS THE PRODUCE FROM HIS FARM



CIEJAY SELLING AND EATING HER FAVORITE




CORN,POTATOES,ONIONS, TOMATOES,SQUASH,BEANS AND ALL KIND OF SEASONAL BERRIES AND FRUIT.




CIEJAY AND THE STRAWBERRIES AND RASPBERRIES






WE HAD THE SWEETEST CORN IN TOWN







Most post from Thailand bloogers are about their life upon arriving and about daily living and,traveling in the LOS, but not to many on what causes us Expats to decide,plan, save and finally,make the move to Thailand.So ,I thought I would give it a go. A friend introduced me to Ciejay ,we dated for three months and then we married ,on the fourth of July 2002. A year later Ciejay's father in Thailand passed away and we made plans with her sisters and their husbands who also lived in America to come to Thailand for the 100 day celebration of her fathers life , a tradition in Thai culture.We all flew together and rented a van to take us to their home place , and where the 100 day celebration would be held .We had talked it over and also planned to spend a week ,after all the visiting and family affairs were over, traveling around and seeing the sights .It was my first trip to Thailand and I fell head over heels in love with the country and the people.I ask Ciejay if she would move back to Thailand if we could find a piece of land to build us a house on? ,would she move back to Thailand and we would retire here ?. Being the sweet person that she is,said"YES "which was a total suprise to me because she had just the month before got her green card that enabled her to stay in American ,and being married to me was renewable every ten years with no problem.No every three months visit to immigrations or anything and she could work pay social security and taxes and retire at 62 just like anyone else in America ,a dream of a lot of Thai people.What a surprise answer. Well we spent the week traveling a lot, and visiting relatives and really looking for land and a house that we liked and the place where we wanted to spend the rest of our lives . Well, we could not decide where or what , but on the last evening of our trip before flying out the next day, we decided to visit her brother in a little village called Wang Pho in the providence of Kanchanaburi,right on the famous River Kwai.As we turned off the highway 321 and started driving down the 5 kl. and I do mean down the mountain, into the little village , my heart soared within me and I said to Ciejay "if the village is pretty and we like it , and can find a little piece of land , this is the place ". Well we visited her brother and a neighbor had a small piece of land out of town , with no road to get to it , or water and power was not close at all ,we said thank you ,but no thanks. It was getting dark when we got back to her brothers and we said "well we will have to plan another trip sometime when we had time to look around for land" . We both agreeded that this was the place , I loved the small village and it just had the right feel to both of us.Disappointed that we could not find something we liked, as it was getting late, and we had a three hour drive to Bangkok and were flying out at 6:30 the next morning, I told Ciejay to ask her brother a simple question , if he knew of any land with a empty house on it , and to our suprise he pointed 100 yards up the road and said "yes my friend and his wife divorced 8 years ago and the house is not quite finished inside and the bathroom roof has fell in , but it was for sell ", but because of bad Karma and Thai's belief in ghost and bad spirits no one would buy it, Me and Ciejay being Christians Karma and ghost ,didn't scare us at all. The house was all locked up and all the windows had security bars and screens and they were all tinted to keep out the hot sun, so as dark as it was outside and inside we could not even see inside thru the windows. we looked at each other and said lets do it . We ask her brother if he had the friends phone number, and after a while he found it ,and called . He ask if it was still for sell and how much and the friend said 400,000 baht , my brother -in -law said to him this my sister give her a discount , the friend said ok ,300,000 baht , we said we'll take it.We didn't have any extra money on us and it was night time and we ask if we could send money when we got back to the USA. He said "mai pen rai " I give you 6 months to pay me all at one time,no want payments . We said ok and told Ciejays brother to look after it for us and we would send him money every month for 6 months to pay it off and for him to keep the money ,till we had sent it all, and then pay his friend , He said ok "I keep in bank for you" ,all was settled, we now had a piece of land and a house in Thailand . Located within 1/2 mile of the town square , the high school , the hospital , the city hall, and the local police station, at the foot of the mountain and I mean right at the foot and 1/2 mile from the River Kwai, What a dream come true. We could not believe it .Our other American, brother -in-laws and their wives thought we were crazy , and maybe we were crazy , but we had a dream . We went back home , I had one more year before I could retire (62) with 75% my social security , 100% if I worked till 70. but I was ready to retire, and we had a house in Thailand .Remember I am just a worker bee in America not CEO or owner of a bussiness , no,401 K plan and no monthly retirement pension coming from years of service with one company. Just my monthly S.S.check . So I worked one more year and in 6 months we had sent money to pay the house off and we planned to move over in March of 2004, but we knew that we needed money to remodel the Thailand house and buy furniture and everything else we would need to make the house a home . We sold our cars , everything we had acumalated since we were married 3 years ago , I personally had nothing as I lost it all in a couple bad relationships before Ciejay,if you know what I mean. So when a friend suggested that we sell produce with and for him and we would split it all 50/50, we said ok and changed our plans to leave on Oct the 6th for our house in Thailand , hopefully with enough money,to do what we needed to do ,to make the house a liveable home .We sold produce from June the 1st, till Oct the 1st ,7days a week rain or shine and on the 6th of Oct. 2004 we arrived in Thailand with 11 suitcases of cloths and pictures and important papers , and our dream

If you liked reading this post (short story) and a little about our lives ,as well as our retirement , please let me know with a comment ,I've got a couple more stories that, I think you might enjoy too , let me know what you think. Malcolm

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Kaffir Limes and their uses-----for you info --from the web

Kaffir Lime
The kaffir lime is a citrus fruit which hails from Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. The kaffir lime is popularly used in Southeast Asian cooking, such as Thai, Indonesian and Cambodian cuisine. However, it can also be grown throughout the world as a backyard shrub.
Names by Which the Kaffir Lime is Known
The kaffir lime is known by many names, including “kieffer lime” and “limau purut”. It is also sometimes referred to as “Thai limes” or “wild limes”. The leaves, zest and juice of the kaffir lime are all used in Southeast Asian cooking.
“Kaffir” comes from the German word “Kafer”, which means “bug”. This fruit is so named due to the fact that it slightly resembles an insect. Some controversy surrounds the use of the “kaffir” name for this fruit because this word is used by white Afrikaners as a pejorative for black people, meaning “infidel”. This usage derives from the Arabic word “kafir”, which was used by Portugese explorers to describe native Africans. This word is considered a derogatory term that remains in use today, and as such, alternative names such as Thai, Makrut, Asian, or Wild lime are preferred to ensure no one is offended.
Kaffir Lime Leaves
The Kaffir Lime’s Appearance and How it Grows
The kaffir lime does not resemble most of the limes that we are used to seeing. This Southeast Asian lime has a rough, warty green exterior. It grows on a thorny bush and its leaves are very aromatic. The kaffir lime leaves are also quite distinctive in that its leaves are “doubled”. The kaffir lime is easily identifiable with its small size and bumpy exterior. It is dark green in color. The kaffir lime is comparable in size to a Western lime. This fruit is very suitable for growing in containers. As mentioned above, although this fruit is native to many Southeast Asian countries, it can be grown anywhere as a shrub.
Traditional and Current Uses of the Kaffir Lime
Southeast Asian Cuisine
There are many different ways that the kaffir lime is used in Southeast Asian cooking. The rind, or zest, is often used as a curry paste in Lao and Thai cooking. This usage provides an aromatic and astringent flavor.
In fact, this fruit is so commonly used to impart flavor in Thai cooking that if a dish calls for the use of citrus leaves, it can be assumed that it means kaffir lime leaves. Kaffir leaves are the only citrus fruit leaves that are used on a regular basis in a large number of Thai dishes.
The leaves exude an aromatic perfume and provide a striking and distinguishable flavor that is virtually impossible to substitute. The zest of this fruit also adds a piquant flavor to such mouth-watering favorites as fried fish cakes and “jungle soup”, or “gkaeng bpah”. The zest of the kaffir lime can also be found in creole cuisine. Additionally, the zest of this fruit is often used to add flavor to “arranged” rums that are made in Madagascar and the Reunion Island.
Flavor
The zest or rind of the kaffir lime has such a strong flavor that it can overpower a dish’s other, more subtly flavored ingredients. As such, the rind is to be used sparingly. The rind should be grated or chopped very finely and then further reduced in a mortar along with the other paste ingredients until it become indistinguishable. This promises a recipe containing a proper balance of ingredients and flavors.
The whole kaffir lime leaves themselves, which have a somewhat hourglass shape creating the appearance of a double leaf and have a glossy sheen, are commonly used in Lao, Thai and Cambodian cuisine. The kaffir lime leaf contains two parts. There is a top leaflet which has a slight point at the tip. Attached to that is another leaflet at the bottom which is broader on the upper portion. The size of kaffir leaves can vary in size, from several inches long to less than an inch. The bigger the leaf, typically the darker its color. Because of the variations in size, it is often best to specify in recipes the number of leaves based upon size so that one does not use too much or too little.
Thai Cooking
The leaves of the kaffir lime are used in a wide variety of dishes, especially in Thai cooking. They are often used in soups, salads, curries, and stir-fried dishes. These leaves are also used in other cuisines, such as the cuisines of Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia. An example of Laotian cuisine in which these leaves are used include the Lao dish known as Tom Yum. They are also used in Cambodian cuisine as the paste base in Krueng. In Indonesian cooking, especially the cuisines in Bali and Java, the kaffir lime leaves are used in such dishes as Sayur Asam. The kaffir leaf is also commonly used in addition to the Indonesian BAY LEAF to cook chicken and fish dishes. The cuisines of Malaysia and Burma also make use of the kaffir lime leaf.
Preparation
The kaffir lime leaf can be used whole or finely chopped. The best way to finely slice this leaf for use in cooking is to stack three or four that are similar in size and then slice them into very thin pieces using a sharp knife. Cutting diagonally is faster and easier. This task becomes easier with practice and you will enjoy the amazing aroma that rises from the leaves as you continue to cut them. The leaves can also be cut using scissors, but this practice is much slower and may not result in the fine slivers you get through chopping with a sharp knife.
It is important that the leaves be cut into fine slivers, as mincing or chopping can impact the flavor of the leaf, thus causing them to overwhelm the flavors of the other ingredients in the dish. Cutting large slivers can have the same result. As such, using fine slivers that are approximately one inch long are the preferred method for creating a balance of flavors. The kaffir lime leaf is very versatile and can be used either fresh or dried. It can also be frozen and stored for future use. The juice of the kaffir lime itself is regarded as generally far too acidic to use in cooking.
Medicinal Uses
The juice and rind of the kaffir lime is also used in traditional Indonesian medicine. As such, in Indonesia the kaffir lime is referred to as “asjeruk obat”, which translates to “medicine citrus”. The juice of the kaffir lime is also used in Southeast Asian folk medicine, where it is touted as promoting gum health.
As such, this culture recommends using the lime juice to brush the teeth and gums. The fruit has essential oils which are incorporated into various ointments as well. The rind itself serves as an ingredient in many medicinal tonics which are believed to be beneficial for the blood. Just like galangal and lemon grass, the rind of the lime is also said to be beneficial for digestion.
Using Kaffir Lime Leaves
The oil from the lime’s rind also contains strong insecticide properties.
Household Uses
The juice of the fruit can also be used as a detergent for clothing. In fact, it is known as being a very effective cleanser. Some use it as a natural bleach for the removal of tough stains. It is also used as a shampoo to clean hair.
Not only does it leave the hair nice and squeaky clean, but it also invigorates the scalp. Many believe that use of the kaffir lime in this manner will refresh a person’s mental outlook and also keep away evil spirits. Moreover, this lime is a natural deodorizer with a wonderful scent of citrus blossoms.
Every time the zest is scratched, it emits a refreshing and inviting perfume. These uses are mainly found in Thailand, where almost every countryside home has a kaffir lime tree in the yard. For those living in rural villages, just one kaffir tree will supply enough limes to keep the entire house and the family clean, thus making the kaffir lime also an inexpensive household cleanser and detergent.
Where to Find Kaffir Limes
Kaffir limes are not very easy to find, especially if you do not live in Southeast Asia. As such, if you are truly interested in using this as an ingredient in dishes or for its many other uses, it may be best to grown your own kaffir lime bush. You can visit a local nursery and request they order one for you. You can also find many vendors online who can ship the kaffir lime bush directly to you.
When growing and maintaining a kaffir lime bush, you will want to give the bush plenty of water during the warm summer months. Also make sure it gets citrus fertilizer and plenty of sunshine. Prune it to maintain its bushy shape. If you live in a frost-free area, you can keep your lime bush outdoors year round. However, if your area drops to freezing temperatures, you will need to bring your bush indoors during the cold winter months. Harvest the leaves during the summer. Seal the limes and their leaves in a plastic bag and freeze them, as they will keep this way for at least a year, and thus, can be used over time.
Kaffir lime trees can be found online for around $40 to $50. In addition, you can purchase Thai kaffir lime leaf powder online for about $7.00 for half an ounce.

Kaffir Lime Tree

Folks come every year to harvest the young leaves from the Kaffir Lime tree in our back yard, the trees are hard to find and the leaf's fetch a good price in the markets . The leaf's are used in many Thai dishes and especially Tum YUm. Ciejay loves it , time to get a new hair do lol.